Miller's Daredevil: Born Again Returns

The mid-1980s marked a golden age for Marvel, a period of both creative peak and financial success. Having weathered the financial storms of the late '70s, Marvel was poised to reshape the comic book industry. 1984's Secret Wars, for all its complexities, served as a seismic event, irrevocably altering the Marvel universe and influencing the industry's future trajectory. This era spawned numerous iconic storylines, fundamentally shifting the direction of beloved characters for years to come. This article delves into some of these pivotal narratives, continuing our exploration of essential Marvel comics (Part 8).

More Essential Marvel

• 1961-1963 - The Birth of a Universe
• 1964-1965 - The Sentinels Are Born and Cap Dethaws
• 1966-1969 - How Galactus Changed Marvel Forever
• 1970-1973 - The Night Gwen Stacy Died
• 1974-1976 - The Punisher Begins His War on Crime
• 1977-1979 - Star Wars Saves Marvel From Bankruptcy
• 1980-1982 - Did the Dark Phoenix Saga Usher in the Greatest Decade for Marvel?

Frank Miller's Born Again and Walt Simonson's Surtur Saga

Among the era's most acclaimed storylines are Frank Miller's Born Again (Daredevil #227-233) and Walt Simonson's Surtur Saga (Thor #340-353). Born Again, a masterpiece of storytelling, features Miller's return to Daredevil (with David Mazzuchelli on art). Karen Page's tragic betrayal exposes Daredevil's secret identity, leading to Matt Murdock's complete devastation. His subsequent recovery, alongside Kingpin's descent into obsessive fanaticism, creates a powerful and unforgettable narrative. Loosely adapted in Netflix's Daredevil Season 3, its influence extends to the upcoming Disney+ series, Daredevil: Born Again.

Simultaneously, Walt Simonson revitalized Thor, beginning with #337 and introducing Beta Ray Bill. Simonson's masterful storytelling infused Thor with mythic fantasy elements, culminating in the epic Surtur Saga. Surtur, ruler of Muspelheim, aims to unleash Ragnarok, pitting Thor, Loki, and Odin against him in a climactic battle. Elements of this saga were incorporated into Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok.

Secret Wars Changes Comics Forever

As discussed in Part 4, the 1973 Avengers/Defenders War foreshadowed the event crossover model. Secret Wars (1984), a 12-part miniseries written by Jim Shooter (with art by Mike Zeck and Bob Layton), solidified this model. Born from a marketing collaboration with Mattel, the story sees the Beyonder transporting heroes and villains to Battleworld for a cosmic showdown. While featuring spectacular battles and setting up future storylines, Secret Wars's narrative coherence suffers from inconsistent character portrayals. The 2015 iteration offers a more refined approach, but the original's impact on the industry is undeniable. Its success spawned Secret Wars II and, alongside DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths, established the event comic as a dominant publishing strategy for decades.

Spider-Man’s Symbiote Suit and Other Iconic Spidey Stories

Following Stan Lee and Gerry Conway, Roger Stern elevated Amazing Spider-Man to new heights, beginning with #224. His most significant contribution was the introduction of the Hobgoblin in #238, a formidable new villain. Stern's original Hobgoblin saga, unfortunately cut short due to editorial interference, was later concluded in the 1997 miniseries Spider-Man: Hobgoblin Lives.

Amazing #252 marked the debut of Spider-Man's black symbiote costume, later explained in Secret Wars #8. The symbiote's introduction launched a significant subplot, leading to the creation of one of Spider-Man's most popular antagonists. The black suit remains an iconic alternate look, adapted numerous times in various media. Another significant story from this period is The Death of Jean DeWolff (Spectacular Spider-Man #107-110), a dark and poignant tale exploring Spider-Man's grief and conflict with Daredevil.

Jean Grey Returns, the Rise of Apocalypse, and Other Mutant Landmarks

The mid-80s also witnessed pivotal moments in the X-Men saga. Vision and the Scarlet Witch #4 revealed Magneto as Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch's father, a retconned element, but a defining part of many fans' understanding of the characters. X-Men #171 featured Rogue's heroic turn, joining the X-Men, a significant shift that has become the standard portrayal. Similarly, X-Men #200 saw Magneto's redemption and leadership of Xavier's School.

Jean Grey's resurrection in Avengers #263 and Fantastic Four #286 marked a major turning point. This led to the formation of X-Factor, featuring the original X-Men. X-Factor #5-6 introduced Apocalypse, an ancient mutant enhanced by Celestial technology. Apocalypse quickly became a central X-Men villain, appearing in various adaptations, including the 2016 film X-Men: Apocalypse.